Drop It Like It's Hot As Hades.

Idiom Def: If something's as Hot as Hades, it's extremely hot.

St. Paul Street. Hot as Hades.

Yeaaaaa....definitely doesn't do this week's record highs any justice. Opening the door to check the mail at work today was like leaping into a massive, steam-charged, clear flame the size of Baltimore. Cars and buses zooming passed on St. Paul Street create this heat-wind that's hot enough to take your breath away --- in a bad way. It's just too hot.

Luckily, I work at a dream job right now and will be able to "enjoy" tomorrow's sweltering 105 (without heat index, mind you) at the pool --- THANK BABY JESUS FOR SUMMER FRIDAYS! Laying out in code orange is probably a bad idea but that water is so enticing. I think I should get me some snorkel gear or scuba even! That way, I don't have to come up out of the water for long periods of time, like a suburban, blond manatee of sorts, escaping the Summer blaze. GENIUS.

Neighbors might think something's wrong with me, but it's time they know the truth. Not until I bust out my dance moves mid-scuba to the current song playing, will they FULLY know.

I recall growing up in Stoneleigh, the Norman Rockwell setting of Towson, MD, on the hottest of hottest days every kid in the neighborhood it seemed, had a lemonade stand...a candy stand....a lemonade AND candy stand....an "anything-and-everything I can sell" stand. Each block would be freckled with these cuties pies, which at some time, circa 1991, were the likes of me and my 4 crazy sibs ready to wrestle you down for your $.50 and barter with you to get our "one day only 3 for $3 deal", which makes ZERO sense since one cup was $.50. There aren't any mathematicians amongst my sibs, clearly --- only salesmen, brokers, ad execs, lawyers...and a teacher -- and that teacher, SHE was the worst of us all! (PROOF: I thought that a nickel was worth more than a dime for the first 10 years of my life because of her! SIZE DOES NOT DETERMINE THE VALUE OF THE CURRENCY, SARAH)! I just hope she doesn't teach her students this nonsense ;)

I digress....

On these too-hot-to-do-anything August days in Baltimore, I recall my step dad, Henry, pulling up from a long day at work with 5 or 6 cups of the sweetest (or most watered-down) lemonade you've ever tasted. He be balancing 5 on his briefcase and 1 between his jaws, walking up the back stairs to the house. "I couldn't just stop at one stand!" He'd proclaim, as he dumped each cup of yellow syrup or pink 'water' (depending on the stand and how much Country Time was allotted for that day's product), down the sink. "Have to support these young entrepreneurs, you know!! They're the future of our fine country!"

Too cute.

Stay cool, ya'll. I'm off to find my scuba gear for tomorrow's dive ... and choreograph my pool-side dance exhibition to our blog song of the day, Drop It Like It's Hot (which btw, my hubslice thought was "Drop it like it's HARD" until about 1 week ago...I know...I was just as shocked. He's sheltered and clearly doesn't know what truly good music is all about.)

XOXO
-ERSM

MISSING: Potted pink, purple and white petunia! (& some zen-monk words of wisdom.)

OK first off - WHO STEALS FLOWERS FROM A PORCH!!!??? Really pisses me off. And you KNOW it's not an adult who just wanted their own pot of beautifully pruned petunias. No, no. If that were the case, I honestly wouldn't be this irate or breathing fire. If they were currently hanging from someone else's covered porch or shepherd hook, with fresh water and dead blooms pinched, I'd be....perplexed more so than red-faced mad. But no, I guarantee they are laying face down in some gutter or dumpster all because a 15 year old, out too late on a Summer night, thought it was funny or was dared to go up to my porch, open the gate, take it off the chain and run. Well, they better run. Because if I catch them attempting this HILARIOUS feat again, they're gonna have a shepherd's hook in a place they might not think is so amusing. 


Secondly, and very, very different, I read this nice little line of ancient knowledge this morning and thought it was truly sound and beautiful. Take a read and let it resonate wherever it does within you....  


"Many paths lead from the foot of the mountain, but at the peak we all gaze at the single bright moon."
Ikkyu - Zen-monk poet, 1394-1481


Happy Wednesday, all, & enjoy the day (except you little bastards who yanked my 'tunias! You'll get yours.... DUN DUN DUNNNNNNNN).

Country roads....

....take me home ... to the place ... I belong.

Shenandoah Valley Sunset. 7-9-11.

This weekend we drove down route 340 into Virginia for some camping in the Shenandoah Valley. What a beautiful drive. 81S was the other option, but the right decision was made and we enjoyed the 'scenic' route through Main Street stop lights in tiny country towns, a Harpers Ferry drive-by, hundreds of vast farms with red tin roofs & silos, smoking road-side BBQ stands and, of course, J's fave --- DINOSAUR LAND! No, we didn't stop. He was grumpy but soon got over it.

Entering VA. Gotta get a shot.

Entering WVa...

J's Happy Place.

Do you have a place that brings your heart a sense of peace and calm when you're there? Do you have a place that brings that sense simply with a thought passing through your mind, or a glance at a picture? I do. Take a look at the first pic above. It requires few words to explain it, mainly because it's hard to even try. Mountains, as I've grown older, bring incredible grounding to my soul. That's all I can say...

Tourist-maximist.

Why don't we live there you ask? Maybe one day we will, when life can return to some level of simplicity and I can convince J. For now, Baltimore holds our address (& our love) on a day-to-day. But the mountains are always on my mind and I look forward to every opportunity to head South...toward the Blue Ridge.

XOXO
-ERSM